Wire drawing machines

Abstract

At least two adjacently located wire drawing capstans are provided with an annular drawing ring and a wheel member within the drawing ring and connected to it. At least one has a planet member engaging the wheel member, and an annular sun member secured to a shaft. The planet member is connected to the wheel member of the next adjacent capstan to operatively interconnect the adjacent capstans, and permit the planet member to revolve about said sun member and rotate about the central axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A drum for a multiple wire drawing machine comprising an arrangement of at least two adjacently located capstan assemblies operatively connected to each other at least one of which is driven by a central drive shaft, each of said capstan assemblies comprising an annular drawing ring and a wheel member located within said drawing ring and connected thereto for conjoint rotation, at least one said driven capstan assembly having a planet member engaging the associated wheel member, and an annular sun member secured to a supporting shaft, means connecting said planet member to the wheel member of the next adjacent capstan assembly to operatively interconnect said adjacent capstans, and permit said planet member to revolve about said sun member and rotate about the central axis, each of said wheel members having a circumferential recess forming an axial shoulder and provided with an annular seal seated thereon slidably engaging a surface of the adjacent capstan assembly. 
     
     
       2. The drum according to claim 1 wherein each of said wheel members comprises a radial hub having an integrally formed circumferential flange at its outer edge, the outer surface of said circumferential flange engaging the inner surface of said drawing ring and the inner surface of said circumferential flange engaging said planet member, and spaced from said shoulder to form an annular gap about said shoulder, said annular seal being located in said gap and slidingly engaging a surface of said circumferential flange of the wheel member of the next adjacent capstan. 
     
     
       3. The drum according to claim 2, and slidingly engaging the frontal edge of said circumferential flange of the wheel member of the next adjacent capstan assembly to form an axial seal. 
     
     
       4. The drum according to claim 2, and engaging the inner surface of the drawing ring of the next adjacent capstan assembly to form a radial seal. 
     
     
       5. The drum according to claim 2, said circumferential flange extending axially over said gap to overlap said shoulder and said seal means slidingly engaging the overlapping inner surface of the flange of the next adjacent capstan assembly. 
     
     
       6. The drum according to claim 2, wherein said planet member comprises a multistage spur gear, one of said stages meshing with an annular gear formed on the engaging surface of the wheel member and another of said stages with an annular gear formed on the sun member. 
     
     
       7. The drum according to claim 1, wherein the engaging surfaces of the circumferential flange, the planet member and the sun member comprise cooperating friction clutch means of high friction material. 
     
     
       8. The drum according to claim 7, wherein the friction material is selected from the group consisting of polyamides and polyurethanes. 
     
     
       9. The drum according to claim 1, wherein said planet member is mounted on an axle supported at one end with the wheel member and at the other end in an annular disk journalled about the supporting shaft, between the sun gear and the next adjacent wheel member. 
     
     
       10. The drum according to claim 9, wherein the planet member is journalled about the axle and fixed to said supporting wheel and annular disk. 
     
     
       11. The drum according to claim 9, wherein the axle of the planet member is journalled at each of its ends in said supporting wheel and annular disk respectively.